Follow the Fox
by Crimson ultrafox
Summary: After being brutally assaulted at a young age, Naruto meets Kyuubi. After the encounter, the demon takes advantage of the boy's trust in an effort at freedom. However, things aren't always as they appear. How will the fox's influence develop Naruto?


Well I've read countless fanfics, and I am finally getting around to writing one. Yeah this is pretty much Naruto my style. Naruto isn't a god in this story but he certainly is going to be a badass. Anyways on with the story…The pairing is Naruto x Ino ( possibly others depends on what the people want. That was my first choice though )

Chapter 1: The Demon Within

Naruto, a young boy barely over the age of seven was wandering the streets of Konoha. He passed through by a crowd of people and smiled at some of the kids his own age and waved. The parents of these children pulled their children away from him immediately and sent hateful looks his direction. There were waves of horrible glares at the young boy. He never understood why he was always so hated. As long as he could remember adults would mistreat him. Most of the time he received cruel insults and threats, however he had been assaulted by random villagers in the past and had no intention of reliving those experiences.

After being thrown out of the orphanage over two months ago, he now had to live on the streets. As difficult as this situation was for him, he tried to face each day with an indomitable will of find something to live for. As the crowd walked away, a man came up to him. Judging by his appearance, Naruto guessed he was a ninja. The man gave him a look of disgust and spoke up, "Why are you harassing our youth you monster?" Naruto looked at the man with a confusing glance and simply replied, "What do you mean…what have I done?"

"Don't give me that bullshit you monster. If it weren't for Hokage-sama I would have slit your throat the night you attacked us!" This little encounter had now turned into somewhat of a domestic incident with many villagers gathering around to watch. "I'm sorry if I have ever done anything to you but I.." "I won't hear your lies anymore DEMON!" suddenly the man grabbed Naruto by the throat and lifted him against a wall and pressed a kunai to his neck. Naruto was terrified. He had absolutely no clue what to do, but suddenly out of the primordial instinct to survive, he bit the man on the nose and broke his grip.

Screaming from the pain of his bleeding nose the ninja started chasing the young boy. This soon turned into a mob of angry villagers. Naruto avoided the mob as best he could, dodging separate groups that tried to cut off or surround him. He looked back in horror at the growing mob and ran faster than anyone his age could, suddenly out of desperation and fear he tripped. He was tried to stand up as fast as he could but was snatched by the ninja with the bleeding nose. The man dragged the defenseless little boy into an alley and started beating him senseless and stabbing and slashing him in ridiculous manners. Several villagers joined in, but the majority cheered and applauded. After the man was convinced that Naruto was going to die of bleeding he kicked him one last time in the face with full force. The world went black for the child…all he could see were shadows of people dispersing the crowd and arresting his assailant.

Naruto woke up in searing agony in a dark and murky hallway that strangely resembled a sewer. 'Did they toss me in the sewer' the young boy thought to himself trying to ignore the unbelievable pain he was feeling. He was bleeding badly and his body was covered in bruises and stab wounds. 'How am I not dead?' he pondered as he limped down the water-filled hallway. After a minute of torturous limping he came to a large room with a giant cage. Even though he was a child, he knew all too well that cages usually weren't a good thing. Naruto fell to his knees instantly as a terrible aura of killing intent hit him. Surrounded by what felt like the physical description of evil the young boy shook uncontrollably. He looked up and saw the biggest and most terrifying blood red eyes anyone could have imagined. Suddenly a booming voice was heard, **"It's you…I knew we would one day meet in person!" **

Naruto was feeling life slip from him but tried his best to reply, "Who are…y-you?" The giant eyes suddenly weren't the only thing visible in the cage as a giant red and orange fox placed its forehead on the bars of the cage. **"I am the great Kyuubi no Kitsune! Tremble before me mortal!" **The boy looked at the fox trying to grasp what it had told him with his dazed mind. The fox saw his condition and simply stated, **"Your life is draining from your body with each passing minute, and soon you will be dead."**

Naruto looked at the fox desperately and whimpered in the most pure-hearted manner, "I don't want to die, but everyone else seems to want me dead. Am I really a monster, like you?" Naruto crawled, towards the cage and looked up at the giant fox several dozen meters away. **"What makes you think your life holds any real value? Only those strong enough to survive have the right to survive!** More pain engulfed him as the fox's anger grew. **"You mortals are so insignificant, always crying about trying to make a perfect world where nobody ever dies! That's how the world works!" **Naruto was feeling the fox's words burn through his skull worse than any fire ever could. Suddenly the cage erupted with red chakra and filled the entire room. Kyuubi started thrashing in its cage in an angry fit. Naruto spoke timidly to the terrible demon, "Why are you so angry fox? You're not going to die." Kyuubi looked at Naruto and growled fiercely, **"Foolish child…I am inside of you. If You die I DIE!" **Suddenly a wave of realization washed over the boy as he understood to a certain extent what the fox was saying, "You mean that they hate me because of you?" Naruto then stood up with an unknown new resolve and spoke confidently, "So we will both die together now then huh?!" Taken by a surprise the fox gave the boy an indecipherable look of interest. **"No…we don't have to die yet or ever. Do you want to survive mortal?" **Naruto in a desperate attempt to survive gave in to the demon, "I'll do whatever it takes." **"Remove part of the seal on my cage, and I can heal you." **Naruto did as he was told. As soon as he removed a tiny sliver of the seal, the fox grinned malevolently at him as the red chakra flooding the room engulfed his body. Naruto passed out from pain.

Four days later…Naruto awoke to nothing but a white, blinding light. He blinked his eyes dozens of times trying to adjust to it. After a minute his vision returned, and better than he remembered. Then at that moment he reconciled his encounter with the fox. 'So that's why they hate me…' he thought sadly to himself. He then felt relieved to be alive and was curious as to how he saw and spoke to the demon fox. 'Questions for another time I suppose.

As he glanced around the room he noticed the old man hokage sitting next to his bed with a distressed look on his face. It instantly faded when he realized Naruto was conscious. "Naruto…are you okay?" the hokage asked very surprised that the boy was already standing up. Naruto looked at him wondering if he had been lying to him for all this time. "Why do those people attack me old man?" the very guilty sarutobi gave a sad glance at naruto wishing that the boy didn't have to suffer so. He said in a sincere manner, "I don't know, Naruto, but I guess instead of asking why, ask what you can do to change their minds."

Naruto gave an annoyed look at the hokage for always talking in riddles and throwing around wisdom like kunai. The boy felt slightly saddened then old man wouldn't talk to him about the issue. Suddenly Naruto heard the deep voice of the fox rumble throughout his head, **"Boy ask him if you can become a ninja. It is likely what he has in mind."**

Petrified, Naruto thought 'What was that?' the voice returned, **"Remember the fox? I am the GREAT KYUUNI NO KITS…" **Naruto cut the fox off.

'Wait how are you talking to me?!!' the boy thought. **"I am sealed inside of you!!! That is why they hate you. Did you ever wonder why they called you demon or monster or beast? It is because The 4****th**** Hokage sealed me inside of your body and mind." '**What does that mean?' the boy asked the fox quizzically. The demon only roared in response. Naruto's attention was brought back to reality when the hokage asked why he was staring at the wall.

"Sorry old man, I just spaced out. Anyways I think I know the right question." the old man looked at the boy surprised. "Can I become a ninja? Only then will I be able to protect myself and the village so I can one day earn their respect. The Hokage looked at Naruto both happy and sad at the same time. He was proud that naruto had a direction with his life, but was let down by the fact that he had to mature at such a young age.

"Very well Naruto…" over the next two days, the Hokage managed to get Naruto his own apartment and a weekly salary to help him pay for his necessities. He also gave Naruto a smile and left. Afterwards, Naruto proceeded to go to sleep. He woke up once again in the sewer hallway and followed it to the cage. He reached the cage and asked the fox, "Can you help me become a ninja Kyuubi?" the demon looked at him curiously as if thinking it over and responded, **"If you promise to do whatever I tell you to, I will help you understand. However, know that I am not your friend or have any sort of concern towards you other than the fact our lives are bound UNDERSTAND! My help always comes at a price. You'd do best to remember that down the road."**

Naruto was young and had trouble with many things. Every time he got an opportunity to get something he took it. Even considering the fox was an evil demon, his pure and innocent mind couldn't ethically differentiate anyone. Kyuubi then finished, **"Tomorrow is the first day of training."**

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I never could rate my own stuff, so I would appreciate reviews if you have the time. Anyways, Naruto will be AU in this fic, mainly just to fit the storyline better. One last thing, Naruto will be slightly super powered in this fic. Nothing ridiculous, but come on he is the main character.


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